What happens when you flush the toilet? The government has to spend a lot of money cleaning up your mess. What if the processes of cleaning that water also created electricity? That’s what they call synergy.

We can all use less power, but it’s going to take some new behaviors. Design can be a powerful tool in nudging us to change how we act, and if we apply design solutions to using less power, it might be a little easier.

The technology for the smart grid exists, but no one is going to start using it while we still get electricity so easily. But that’s foolish: It’s time for the biggest buyers of electricity to lead the way.